Wednesday Trends and Indexes 08/22

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Trends and Indexes
Wednesday, August 22

Good Luck on day #234 of 2007!

NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.

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Six-pack for Wednesday

If you like sports, and you like to eat/drink, this is a terrific area to live in. Tuesday night, we visited Graney's on New Scotland Avenue in Albany, only a half-mile from the place we went to last week, the brand-new Recovery Room. What we found was a place with TVs just as good, but a friendly atmosphere that an antiseptic new bar couldn't match.

-- 34 TVs, eight satellites, and an owner who knows how to use them; five baseball games, the NFL Network and Little League World Series are all on, just at the bar.

-- This place is a throwback to the old neighborhood bar, a place where you went to relax. The barstools are little lower than usual, with rail to lean on, making it most comfortable bar I've ever been seated at.

-- Good music on the jukebox, and a trivia contest that has the whole bar involved; where else could you get questions about Babe Ruth, Tawny Kitaen, Hootie and the Blowfish and Reykjavik, Iceland, all in the same contest?

-- They're open to 2am every night, even the kitchen!!! And if things are hopping, they'll stay open later; anyone who says this is a boring town just hasn't looked hard enough.

-- Earlier this summer, we touted Stadium Cafe in Saratoga as having the best-looking bartenders/waitresses in area. Forget about it; this place has them beat. Four bartenders, all model-caliber, worth the trip in itself.

-- If you're hungry, thirsty, like sports and attractive ladies, Graney's is a terrific place to hang out; people are friendly, food is good, drinks are cold, prices are reasonable. What more could you ask for?

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Wednesday's List of 13: All kinds of college knowledge, and other useless pieces of information.............

13) For those of us who like basketball, the next five days will be a summer picnic, as four games a day will be televised from the FIBA Americas tournament, mostly on NBA.tv. Mike Krzyzewski, who is an educator as well as a coach at Duke, is just coaching this team. Lets hope he can beat Uruguay.

12) Bobby Jenks tied record by retiring 41 batters in row, then didn’t pitch for eight days; when he did return to mound, he gave up a hit to first batter he faced, so Jim Barr and he still share all-time record, one of the better records in baseball.

11) Nike founder Phil Knight, wife donated $100 million to the U of Oregon, as Ducks plan to build a new basketball arena to replace the famous but old Mac Court. Who will they name it after? Knight isn't much of an attention-monger.

10) Come to think of it, Knight Court would be a catchy name; they could get Harry Anderson or Markie Post to toss the ceremonial jump ball at the first game. Well, maybe not.

9) This is the Miami Hurricanes’ last season playing in the Orange Bowl; they’re moving to Dolphins’ Stadium next year, which I’m sure just thrills the Marlins, who are second-class citizens in multi-use facility. They just slipped another notch.

8) CC Sabathia has a 2.53 RA in his last six starts, but Indians lost five of them, scoring 10 runs in the five losses- they lost his last three starts, all in extra innings.

7) Garret Anderson knocked in 10 runs Tuesday night, as the Angels crushed Bronx, pushing the Bombers 2.5 games down in Wild Card chase. Mike Mussina gave up seven runs on 48 pitches, making Monday's 10-inning loss even more bitter.

6) Tim Lincecum had a 1-0 lead in 9th inning, but was allowed to stay in, and gave game up, as Cubs rallied for five in ninth inning of a 5-1 win, snapping Giants' win streak at five.

5) Detroit beat Cleveland 2-1 in 1:50 at Comerica, as Carmona tossed 77-pitch complete game, but lost. Rookie Jurrjens gave up one lone hit in just his second major league start.

4) Orioles won 12th straight Bedard start, as Orioles beat up on the Rangers, 6-2. A Cy Young is in Bedard's future.

3) Estaban Loaiza finally makes his '07 debut for the A's in an afternoon game Wednesday; if Oakland wins, they get back to the .500 mark for first time in while. They've turned over the roster, have yet another new centerfielder in Davanon, who is batting leadoff and actually doing a good job.

2) Mariners won their fifth game in row, hammering Twins 7-2 they've scored 39 runs during this winning streak, and look to be a playoff team, either as a Wild Card or AL West champ.

1) Sheila Drummond, 53 years old and blind, got a hole-in-one on the 144-yard, par-3 fourth hole at Mahoning Valley CC in Lehighton, PA. In 1999, Golf Di-gest said odds of an amateur getting a hole-in-one are 1 in 12,750; imagine what they are for an amateur who is blind.

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[pm530]

Baseball Today - August 22

SCOREBOARD
Wednesday, Aug. 22
Milwaukee at Arizona (9:40 p.m. EDT). Brandon Webb tries to extend his streak of 42 straight scoreless innings for the Diamondbacks.

STARS
Tuesday

-- Garret Anderson, Angels, drove in a team-record 10 runs, hitting a grand slam and a three-run homer in an 18-9 rout of the New York Yankees.

-- Gabe Gross, Brewers, hit a grand slam to cap a five-run seventh inning and Milwaukee beat Arizona 7-4.

-- Ian Stewart, Rockies, hit a grand slam in his ninth career at-bat to help Colorado overpower Pittsburgh 9-2.

-- Brandon Phillips, Reds, homered and hit a tiebreaking single in an 8-7 win over Atlanta.

-- Carlos Beltran, Mets, went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer and five RBIs in a 7-6 win over San Diego.

POWER OF 10

Garret Anderson drove in a team-record 10 runs with four hits in the Los Angeles Angels' 18-9 rout of the New York Yankees on Tuesday night. Anderson hit a grand slam, a three-run homer, a two-run double and an RBI double to become the 12th player in major league history to have 10 RBIs in a game. He was the first to reach double digits since Yankees star Alex Rodriguez also had 10 against the Angels on April 26, 2005. The major league record of 12 RBIs is shared by the St. Louis Cardinals' Jim Bottomley (1924) and Mark Whiten (1993). The AL record of 11 was set by Tony Lazzeri of the Yankees on May 24, 1936.

POWER SURGE

Albert Pujols homered for the fourth straight game in St. Louis' 5-2 win over Florida on Tuesday night. Pujols, whose solo shot in the sixth extended his RBI streak to six games, went 10 days between homers before beginning his long-ball binge. He has 29 homers on the year, and six RBIs in the last six games.

FAN FRIENDLY

Arizona's Mark Reynolds tied the major league record for consecutive strikeouts by a non-pitcher when he fanned in his ninth straight plate appearance in a 7-4 loss to Milwaukee on Tuesday night. Reynolds struck out in his first two at-bats against Dave Bush to match the record set five times before, most recently by Kansas City's Bo Jackson in 1988. Bush hit Reynolds with a pitch in the sixth, ending the streak.

PAYBACK

Jair Jurrjens allowed one hit in 6 2-3 innings in his second major league start and carried a no-hit bid into the sixth inning of Detroit's 2-1 win over Cleveland on Tuesday night. Fausto Carmona, who beat Jurrjens in his big league debut Wednesday, lost the rematch, allowing two runs and three hits over eight innings.

SUPER SAVER

Jonathan Papelbon pitched a perfect 1 1-3 innings with three strikeouts for his 30th save in 32 opportunities in Boston's 8-6 win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday night. Papelbon is the first Red Sox pitcher to have at least 30 saves in two different seasons.

STRONG IN DEFEAT

Frank Thomas homered twice, giving him 508 career homers, in Toronto's 6-4 loss to Oakland on Tuesday night. ... Craig Biggio homered and drove in four runs for Houston in an 11-6 loss to Washington.

STREAKS

Erik Bedard struck out 11 over seven innings to win his ninth straight decision in Baltimore's 6-2 victory over Texas on Tuesday night. Bedard (13-4) increased his AL-leading strikeout total to 218, matching Mike Mussina's club record in 1997. ... Jarrod Washburn snapped a three-game losing streak and won for the first time in seven starts in Seattle's 7-2 victory over Minnesota.

SPEAKING

"When it starts getting attention from other places than my head, you know it's been too long. When you guys start writing about how long it's been since I won it becomes an issue. Obviously you'd like to get that out of the way." -- Jarrod Washburn, on recording his first win since July 4 in Seattle's 7-2 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday night.

SEASONS
Aug. 22

1886 -- Cincinnati outfielder Abner Powell was literally brought down by the dog days of summer. Chicken Wolf of the Louisville Colonels hit a deep drive and Powell took off after it, joined by a dog that had been sleeping by the fence. The dog bit Powell's leg before the outfielder could get to the ball and wouldn't let go as Wolf scored on a game-winning inside-the-park homer.

1917 -- Pittsburgh's Carson Bigbee set a major league record -- since tied -- with 11 at-bats in a 22-inning game against Brooklyn. Pirate Elmer Jacobs pitched 16 2-3 innings in relief. The game was also the fourth consecutive extra-inning game by the Pirates for a total of 59 innings, a National League record.

1934 -- Pitcher Wes Ferrell hit two home runs to give the Boston Red Sox a 3-2 triumph over the Chicago White Sox in 12 innings. With Boston trailing 2-1, Ferrell hit a home run in the eighth inning to tie the score, and with two out in the 12th he connected again for the game-winner.

1959 -- Cincinnati's Frank Robinson hit three consecutive homers in an 11-4 win over St. Louis.

1961 -- Roger Maris, en route to his 61-home run season, became the first player to hit his 50th homer in August. He connected off California pitcher Ken McBride in a 4-3 loss to the Angels.

1965 -- In the third inning of a game against Los Angeles, pitcher Juan Marichal of the San Francisco Giants hit catcher John Roseboro of the Dodgers in the head with his bat. A 14-minute brawl ensued and Roseboro suffered cuts on the head. Marichal thought Roseboro threw too close to his head when returning the ball to Sandy Koufax.

1984 -- New York Mets right-hander Dwight Gooden, at 19, fanned nine San Diego Padres to become the 11th rookie to strike out 200 batters in one season.

1989 -- Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers became the first pitcher to strike out 5,000 batters. Ryan struck out 13, walked two and allowed five hits in a 2-0 loss to Oakland. Ryan began the night needing six strikeouts and fanned Rickey Henderson swinging, leading off the fifth inning, for the record.

1998 -- Mark McGwire set a major league record for most home runs in three consecutive seasons, connecting for his 52nd homer of 1998 in the first inning of the St. Louis Cardinals' 14-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. McGwire had 162 homers in three seasons, including 52 in 1996 and 58 in 1997, to pass Babe Ruth, who had 161 from 1926-28.

1999 -- Mark McGwire became the first player to hit 50 homers in each of four consecutive seasons, hitting Nos. 49 and 50 in the first game of a doubleheader against the New York Mets.

2000 -- Colorado tied an NL record by using 10 pitchers in a 7-6, 12-inning win over Atlanta. Catcher Brent Mayne worked a scoreless 12th inning to become the first position player to win a game since the Yankees' Rocky Colavito on Aug. 25, 1968.

2006 -- Nick Markakis homered in his first three at-bats to lead Baltimore to a 6-3 victory over Minnesota.

Today's birthdays: Randy Wolf 31; Jeff Weaver 31; Steve Kline 35; Carl Yastrzemski 68.

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[pm530]

Baseball – Write up

MLB
Write-up


Wednesday, August 22

Hot Pitchers
-- Phillies won last four Durbin starts, scoring 45 runs.
-- Reds won three of Arroyo's last four home starts.
-- Peavy is 4-0, 1.60 in his last five starts.
-- Looper is 1-1, 2.25 in his last couple starts. Washington won last six Bacsik starts, scoring 35 runs.
-- Williams is 2-0, 1.80 in his last three starts.
-- Colorado won Fogg's last five home starts, scoring 48 runs. Gorzelanny is 2-1, 3.00 in his last three starts.
-- Arizona won Webb's last five starts; he hasn't allowed a run in his last 42 innings pitched.

-- Burnett is 2-0, 1.98 since coming off the DL.
-- Byrd is 3-1, 1.24 in his last four road starts. Tigers are 10-4 in Verlander's last fourteen starts.
-- Jackson has 1.67 RA in his last four starts.
-- Gabbard is 1-1, 3.20 in four starts for the Rangers.
-- Bannister is 4-1, 2.16 in his last six starts.
-- Silva has a 1.55 RA in his last four starts. Mariners are 7-3 in Batista's last ten starts.
-- Angels are 16-5 in Lackey's last 21 starts. Pettitte is 4-0, 2.22 in his last four starts.

Cold Pitchers
-- Lowe is 1-3, 7.56 in his last five starts.
-- Cormier is 0-3, 9.47 in four starts for the Braves.
-- Former Padre Lawrence has 5.06 RA in three starts for Mets.
-- Olsen is 1-3, 6.53 in his last five starts.
-- Bush is 0-2, 5.90 in his last five starts.
-- Cubs lost Hill's last four road starts (0-2, 6.08). Giants lost four of Zito's last five home starts (0-2, 6.33).

-- Loaiza makes first '07 start after being out all year (knee); he is 123-108 in 323 career starts.
-- Cabrera was on losing side in last seven starts, if he won his previous start.
-- Matsuzaka is 1-2, 3.54 against Tampa Bay this season; Red Sox are 6-9 in his last 15 starts.
-- White Sox lost last eight Contreras starts (0-7, 9.46).


Totals
-- Over is 4-2-1 in Dodgers' last seven games.
-- Last eleven Cincinnati games all went over the total.
-- Over is 4-1 in Mets' last five home games.
-- Five of last seven Washington games stayed under total.
-- Under is 6-1 in Cardinals' last seven home games.
-- Over is 20-6 in Pirates' last twenty-six games.
-- Over is 8-4 in last twelve Arizona home games.
-- Under is 7-2-1 in Cubs' last ten road games.

-- Six of last eight Toronto home games stayed under total.
-- Under is 19-3 in Minnesota's last twenty-two home games.
-- Eleven of last 13 Kansas City games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 9-2 in Cleveland's last eleven road games.
-- Over is 6-3 in last nine games at Camden Yards.
-- Under is 10-4 in last fourteen Matsuzaka starts.
-- Over is 9-3 in Angels' last twelve home games.


Hot Teams
-- Phillies are 13-4 in their last seventeen home games. Dodgers are 4-2 in their last six games, overall.
-- Mets won seven of their last eight games.
-- Nationals won last three road games, scoring 25 runs.
-- Cardinals won seven of their last nine games.
-- Rockies won eight of their last eleven home games. Pirates are
4-2 in last six games, scoring 43 runs.
-- Brewers won three of their last four games. Arizona is 12-6 in its last eighteen home games.
-- Giants won five of their last six games. Cubs won four of last five games.

-- Red Sox won three of their last four games.
-- A's are 6-2 in their last eight games.
-- Mariners won five in row, eight of last ten games.
-- Angels won eleven of their last twelve home games.

Cold Teams
-- San Diego is 7-12 in its last nineteen road games.
-- Reds are 1-5 in game after their last six wins. Braves are 5-8 in their last thirteen road games.
-- Astros lost four of their last five home games.
-- Marlins lost eight of last nine games, allowing 57 runs.

-- Blue Jays lost three of their last four games.
-- Detroit is 6-9 in its last fifteen home games. Indians scored three runs or less in seven of last nine games.
-- Devil Rays lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Rangers lost eleven of their last fourteen road games. Orioles are 3-5 in their last eight home games.
-- Twins lost three of their last four games.
-- White Sox lost nine of their last twelve games. Royals lost 10 of their last fourteen road games.
-- Bronx is 3-5 in its last eight games.

Umpires
-- LA-Phil-- Under is 11-4 in last fifteen Foster games.
-- Atl-Cin-- Under is 7-3 in last ten Gorman games.
-- SD-NY-- Underdog is 6-6 in last dozen Barrett games.
-- Wsh-Hst-- Over is 5-2 in Wolf's last seven games.
-- Fla-StL-- Underdog is 11-6 in last seventeen Runge games.
-- Pitt-Col-- Underdog won six of last seven Reilly games.
-- Mil-Ariz-- Over is 8-1 in Randazzo's last nine games.
-- Chi-SF-- Over is 6-2 in last eight Demuth games.

-- A's-Tor-- Under is 5-1 in last six Hallion games.
-- Sea-Min-- Under is 9-2 in last eleven Kellogg games.
-- KC-Chi-- Under is 6-3 in last nine Dowdy games.
-- Clev-Det-- Under is 7-2 in last nine Reynolds games, with the home side winning his last six games behind dish.
-- Tex-Balt-- Over is 4-1 in Reed's last five games behind plate.
-- Bos-TB-- Underdog won eight of last nine BWelke games.
-- NY-LA-- Over is 6-2 in last eight Emmel games.

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[pm530]

Baseball - Tips & Trends

MLB

Wednesday, August 22

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Tips and Trends
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Seattle Mariners at Minnesota Twins (1:10 PM ET)

Seattle starter Miguel Batista is a perfect 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in five career games versus Minnesota. He’s allowed just four earned runs and 11 hits over 21 innings against them. EDGE: MARINERS
Batista has posted an impressive 6-1 record and 3.16 ERA since the All-Star break over seven starts. The right-hander has allowed opponents to hit just .231 against him in the second-half compared to .285 before the break. EDGE: MARINERS
Minnesota’s Carlos Silva is 4-1 with a 2.66 ERA in eight career outings versus Seattle. He tallied a 5-4 road victory over the Mariners on April 18, allowing three earned runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. EDGE: TWINS
Silva has been rock solid at the Metrodome this season, going 6-4 with a 3.44 ERA in 13 starts this season. The right-hander picked up an impressive 2-1 home victory over the Texas Rangers last time out, giving up just a single run and five hits over seven innings. EDGE: TWINS
The OVER is 7-1-1 in the last nine meetings.


Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia Phillies (7:05 PM ET)

Los Angeles right-hander Derek Lowe is 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA in nine career games versus Philadelphia. The sinkerball thrower has allowed just three home runs in 37 1/3 innings against the Phillies. EDGE: DODGERS
Lowe has excelled during the month of August in his career, going 24-11 with a 3.05 ERA in 81 career appearances. He may have placed his season back on track with his last start, throwing seven shutout innings in a 6-2 home victory over the Houston Astros. EDGE: DODGERS
Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels is a fantastic 7-2 with a 3.58 ERA in 11 home starts during the 2007 season. The Phillies have won three straight home games with Hamels on the hill, with the offense supplying 22 runs of support. EDGE: PHILLIES
Hamels had dominated the opposition after the All-Star break in 21 career starts, going 11-5 with a 3.23 ERA. The talented left-hander is 4-1 with a 2.96 ERA in seven second-half starts this season, allowing just 35 hits in 48 2/3 innings. EDGE: PHILLIES
The Dodgers are 10-3 in their last 13 road games versus a left-handed starter.


San Diego Padres at New York Mets (ESPN2 | 7:10 PM ET)

Padres starter Clay Hensley is an even 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in four career outings versus the New York Mets. He suffered a loss in his only start at Shea Stadium in 2006, allowing four runs and nine hits over six innings of work. SLIGHT EDGE: METS
New York’s Brian Lawrence has posted a perfect 2-0 record and 1.27 ERA in four career starts at Shea Stadium. The right-hander has made one start at Shea Stadium this season as a member of the Mets, allowing two earned runs and eight hits over six innings of work. EDGE: METS
Lawrence has posted a 22-32 record and 4.19 ERA in 75 career outings after the All-Star break. He’s allowed opposing hitters to hit for a .281 average during the second-half of the season compared to .263 in the first-half. SLIGHT EDGE: PADRES
The OVER is 20-8-2 in the Mets' last 30 overall.


Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers (7:10 PM ET)

Cleveland starter Paul Byrd is an incredible 7-2 with a 3.36 ERA in 15 career starts versus Detroit. He led the Indians to a 5-4 road victory over the Tigers on July 3, allowing four runs and seven hits over seven innings of work. EDGE: INDIANS
Byrd has been impressive in 11 road starts this season, posting a 5-2 record and 2.77 ERA. The Tribe has picked up three straight road wins with Byrd on the hill, as the right-hander has given up just four earned runs over his last 29 innings away from Jacobs Field. EDGE: INDIANS
Detroit’s Justin Verlander is an even 3-3 with a 5.40 ERA in seven career starts versus Cleveland. He picked up a 12-3 home victory over the Indians on July 5, giving up two earned runs and six hits over seven innings. SLIGHT EDGE: TIGERS
The Tigers have tallied four straight home wins with Verlander on the mound, as the offense has provided the right-hander with 33 runs of support over that span at Comerica Park. EDGE: TIGERS
The UNDER is 5-0-1 in Byrd’s last six road starts.


Milwaukee Brewers at Arizona Diamondbacks (9:40 PM ET)

Milwaukee right-hander Jeff Suppan is an even 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in five career starts versus Arizona. He’s 2-4 with a 5.31 ERA in eight outings at Chase Field in his career. SLIGHT EDGE: D-BACKS
Suppan has struggled mightily on the road this season, posting a 3-7 record and 5.84 ERA. The right-hander has surrendered 16 earned runs over his last 20 2/3 innings away from Miller Park. EDGE: D-BACKS
Arizona ace Brandon Webb has posted an incredible 42 straight shutout innings since July 20. The Diamondbacks have picked up five straight victories with Webb on the mound, outscoring their opponents 19-0 in the process. BIG EDGE: D-BACKS
Webb is an even 1-1 with a 2.68 ERA in six career starts versus Milwaukee. The right-hander went 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in two starts against the Brewers in 2006, allowing just three earned runs over 13 innings while striking out 16 and walking just three. EDGE: D-BACKS
The OVER is 4-0-1 in Suppan’s last five road starts.


New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels (10:05 PM ET)

New York’s Andy Pettitte is 11-6 with a 4.15 ERA in 21 career starts versus Los Angeles. The left-hander was battered by the Angels on July 6, giving up eight earned runs and 10 hits over just five innings of work. SLIGHT EDGE: YANKEES
Pettitte is a perfect 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA in four starts this month. He’s yet to allow a single home run in 28 innings of work during August. EDGE: YANKEES
Los Angeles right-hander John Lackey has gone 4-6 with a 4.90 ERA in 12 career starts versus the New York Yankees. He’s posted a 1-0 record and 1.69 ERA in two starts against the Yankees this season, with both starts taking place at Yankee Stadium. SLIGHT EDGE: ANGELS
Lackey has posted a phenomenal 12-3 mark and 2.79 ERA in 16 nighttime starts during the 2007 season. The right-hander is 18 games over .500 under the lights in his career, but just a game over during the day. BIG EDGE: ANGELS
The UNDER is 7-3-1 in Pettite’s last 11 starts versus the Angels


Chicago Cubs at San Francisco Giants (10:15 PM ET)

Chicago left-hander Rich Hill is 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA in four career starts versus San Francisco. He picked up a 3-2 home victory over the Giants on July 16, allowing two earned runs and four hits over eight innings of work. EDGE: CUBS
Hill has posted a disappointing 3-5 road record despite having a respectable 3.83 ERA. The Cubs have picked up four straight road losses with Hill on the mound, as the offense has managed to score just four runs over that span. EDGE: GIANTS
San Francisco starter Barry Zito is 3-4 with a 4.68 ERA in 11 home starts this season. The Giants have lost his last two home starts, as the left-hander has allowed seven earned runs in his last 11 innings of work at AT&T Park. SLIGHT EDGE: CUBS
Zito is a dominating 62-29 with a 3.35 ERA in 116 career outings after the All-Star break. Opponents are hitting just .223 against him during the second-half of the season compared to .244 in the first-half. BIG EDGE: GIANTS
The Giants are 4-0 in their last four games versus a left-handed starter.

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[pm530]

MLB


Wednesday, August 22

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MLB Betting Notes
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Wednesday’s MLB betting notes

Doubleheader in Baltimore

The Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers were rained out before even taking the field Monday and that game will now be made up as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday. The postponed outing will be played at 5:05 p.m. ET, with the originally scheduled game set to start an hour after the first finishes up.

The Orioles decided not to tamper with their rotation despite the schedule change and Erik Bedard pitched Tuesday as planned. Daniel Cabrera (9-12, 4.93) will start the first game on Wednesday, with rookie lefty Garrett Olson (1-2, 6.38) set to take the mound for the second.

The Rangers used Vicente Padilla to face Bedard on Tuesday, so Kason Gabbard (5-1, 3.56) will pitch in the day game and John Rheinecker (1-1, 5.82) will play the night affair.

Baltimore is a –000 favorite to take the first game with the total set at 0 ½, while the Rangers are –000 favorites to take the series finale, which has a total of 0 ½.


Damon, Giambi forced to share time

Most major league teams could easily find a daily roster spot for both Jason Giambi and Johnny Damon, but the New York Yankees are in the remarkable position of having to choose between the two.

The veteran sluggers have been sharing designated hitter duties for a few weeks, mainly because Melky Cabrera made the center field position his own while the other two battled through injuries. Both players seem be taking the current situation well.

"There's a lot of talented players here, so Joe (Torre) has a tough decision every night," Damon told the New York Daily News on Monday. "We're all being professional players, because winning is the number one goal. We all want to win a championship."

Since Giambi’s return he is batting .321 with four home runs and five RBIs. Damon is batting .344 with a home run, four RBIs and eight runs scored over the same period.

Torre has yet to decide who will play DH on Wednesday, but he has decided who will take the mound. Andy Pettitte (10-7, 3.80) will face the Angels' John Lackey (15-7, 3.32) in the finale of a three-game series. New York is a +100 underdog with the over set at 9.


Minnesota turns cold

The Minnesota Twins took two of three against Texas last weekend, but scored just three runs in the process. A slumping offense has been the Twins' biggest problem this season and the main reason they are 6 ½ games off the AL Central pace.

"Guys go in streaks. For our team, we rely on a lot of momentum and when one guy gets going, it usually sparks another one," catcher Mike Redmond told MLB.com. "For whatever reason, this year we've had a little trouble getting that spark and getting it going. You see spurts of it."

The Twins have scored just 552 runs for the season, which puts them second from bottom in the AL in that catergory. Since the All-Star break they have managed a major league-worst 19 homers in 36 games.

"We just have to go about our business," manager Ron Gardenhire said on MLB.com. "We have to keep working and keep doing our normal thing. The thing you have to do as a coach is you have to stay consistent, not getting too high or too low."

Minnesota closes out a three-game series against the Mariners on Wednesday, sending Carlos Silva (9-12, 4.17) to the mound. Seattle counters with Miguel Batista (13-8, 4.14) and is a +100 underdog with the total set at 9.


Unwelcome record

When rookie outfielder Travis Buck went on the disabled list on Monday, it marked the 21st time the Oakland Athletics used the DL this season. That’s one short of the club record set back in 1992.

"Don't even say that," manager Bob Geren said when a reporter pointed out the statistic on Monday. "That's not a record we'd like to break."

According to MLB.com, the persistent injury crisis has led to Oakland players missing a record 946 games this season, forcing the club to use 50 different players – yet another record. They now have 11 players on the DL, including Mark Kotsay, Bobby Crosby, Eric Chavez and pitchers Rich Harden and Estaban Loaiza.

The injuries may one reason the A’s are 12 games behind the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West, a division Oakland won last year by a four-game margin.

Oakland can make up some ground when they face the Toronto Blue Jays in the finale of a three-game series on Wednesday. Dan Meyer (0-1, 6.75) and A.J. Burnett (7-6, 4.01) are the starters and Toronto is a –180 favorite with the total set at 8 ½.

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[pm530]

Baseball – Gameday

MLB


Wednesday, August 22

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Gameday
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Wednesday MLB Gameday

National League aces Brandon Webb, Jake Peavy, and Derek Lowe will all take to the mound looking for more victories on Wednesday night. Here is your MLB Gameday …

Los Angeles Dodgers at Philadelphia Phillies, 7:05pm ET
Derek Lowe (9-11, 3.45 ERA) vs. J.D. Durbin (5-2, 5.36 ERA)

Lowe picked up his first victory since June 22 last time out, holding the Astros scoreless on five hits over seven innings of work. The righthander, though, has been a victim of poor run support, as his ERA still only stands at 3.45 on the season and he's fanned 113 batters while walking only 44. Lowe will be looking for his 10th victory of the season

Durbin is no Cole Hamels, but the Phillies will be hoping that he can get the job done on Wednesday night (Hamels was scratched from this start due to a sore elbow). Durbin is coming off a solid outing against the Pirates, in which he surrendered just two earned runs on four hits in six innings of work. On the season the righthander's ERA is at 5.36.

Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers, 7:05pm ET
Paul Byrd (11-5, 4.41 ERA) vs. Justin Verlander (13-4, 3.63 ERA)

Other than a blip against the Yankees Byrd has been effective over the past month. The righthander had held the opposition to three or fewer earned runs in five of his past six starts (but was roughed up for seven earned runs over two innings against New York on August 11). Versus the D-Rays last time out Byrd gave up one earned run in six innings.

Verlander has won two straight starts for the Tigers, and he didn't have too much trouble with the Yankees. The righthander held Oakland to two earned runs on seven hits over six innings in his start on August 11, then beat New York by giving up three earned runs on seven hits over 5 1-3 innings on August 16. Verlander has fanned 135.

San Diego Padres at New York Mets, 7:10pm ET
Jake Peavy (13-5, 2.19 ERA) vs. Brian Lawrence (1-0, 5.06 ERA)

Peavy has been stellar in the month of August, going 3-0 with a no-decision in his four outings. The righthander has surrendered just three earned runs on 17 hits over 26 2-3 innings pitched this month, while striking out 31 batters and walking only six. On the season Peavy is now 13-5, and he's managed to reduce his ERA to a miniscule 2.19.

Lawrence has been decent for the Mets since his return to the major leagues, going 1-0 with two no-decisions. The righthander won his start against Milwaukee on August 2, allowing three earned runs over five innings pitched. Since then Lawrence has given up two earned runs on six hits to Florida, and four earned runs on five hits to Pittsburgh.

Milwaukee Brewers at Arizona Diamondbacks, 9:40pm ET
Jeff Suppan (8-10, 4.89 ERA) vs. Brandon Webb (13-8, 2.63 ERA)

Suppan picked up his eighth win of the year June 22 against the Royals, and he's been stuck on that number ever since. In August the righthander has been mediocre; he allowed one earned run over 5 2-3 innings versus the Phillies, four earned runs over 5 2-3 innings versus the Astros, and three earned runs over 5 2-3 innings versus the Reds.

Webb hasn't allowed a run since July 20, and his scoreless innings streak now stands at an incredible 42. The righthander has been perfect in the month of August - three starts, three complete-game shutouts. He'll be looking to shut down the Brewers on Wednesday night and move himself closer to Orel Hershiser's all-time scoreless mark.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[pm530]

MLS
Previews and Picks


Wednesday, August 22

Wednesday’s MLS preview and picks


New York Red Bulls at DC United (+250, draw +230, -110)

Wednesday night’s MLS action brings us an East Coast battle between two teams with realistic expectations of winning the conference. The New York Red Bulls, fresh off a win over Beckham and the Galaxy, travel to DC to face a United side unbeaten in the last three league games.

The Red Bulls showed a lot of character in last Saturday’s 5-4 win over Los Angeles. They found themselves 2-1 down inside 10 minutes after David Beckham assisted on Carlos Pavon's two early goals, but battled back to a 5-4 win.

Although Juan Pablo Angel led the Red Bulls charge, youngster Jozy Altidore put in another excellent performance and is undoubtedly the league’s best young prospect. The pair combined for four goals against L.A. and have 19 for the season.

But even with the impressive Altidore-Angel pairing, a win at RFK is a big ask for New York. The team has only managed three road wins this season (compared to a league-high seven at home) and their previous visit to the capital resulted in a 4-2 loss.

The Red Bulls have lost four of their last five away games in the league and they face a DC outfit that's won seven and drawn one of their last eight home games. United has a solid defensive record at home and are one of only a handful of teams that can keep a hot New York offense quiet.

Pick: United -110



Chicago Fire at Kansas City Wizards (+210, draw +220, +105)

It’s amazing what a new coach can do for a team – just look at the Chicago Fire. They appointed Juan Carlos Osorio in July after a five-game winless run and have now won two and tied one of their last four games. The Kansas City Wizards are the next opponents for the resurgent Fire.

The new coach brings new tactics, training techniques and a fresh attitude to a side, but when a team struggles as badly as Chicago were struggling, then new players are necessary too.

First came experienced Mexican attacking midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco. He is one of the most respected players to have played in the Mexican league and has already bagged a goal and two assists in three appearances for the Fire.

Osorio’s next signing went under the radar because it coincided with David Beckham’s arrival, but it's still one of the most important transfers of the season. Former English Premier League star Paolo Wanchope's arrival gives Chicago a serious attacking threat – something they lacked all season. The 6-foot-3 Costa Rican is a powerful, quick striker capable of scoring from inside the box or from long range. Much like Juan Pablo Angel has lit it up at New York, Wanchope will be a huge success in Chicago.

The quality of Osorio’s new signings was on show in last week’s away win in Salt Lake. Both Blanco and Wanchope were on the scoresheet in a 2-0 win for the Fire, the team's most complete performance this season.

A team that spent most of June and July at the bottom of the standings now has the chance to make a playoff push, and with the Wizards having lost their last two in a row, there's a good chance the Fire will add another important win on Wednesday.

Pick: Fire +210

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[Udog]

MLB
Streaking Pitchers


Wednesday, August 22


Hot

A.J. Burnett (Toronto Blue Jays) - A.J. Burnett took a lot of heat when he went on the DL again but he has pitched well since returning to action. Tonight the right-hander goes for his third straight win against the A's at Rogers Centre. Burnett is 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA in two starts since returning from the DL and limited Baltimore to two runs in his last outing. The under is 5-0 in Burnett's last five home starts and he beat the A's in his only career appearance against them on Aug. 22, 2006.

Andy Pettitte (New York Yankees) - If Andy Pettitte wants to win his fifth straight start tonight against the Angels his first order of business is cooling off Garrett Anderson. Anderson is 12-for-23 (.522) in five games against the Yankees this year and a career .377 hitter against Pettitte. Pettitte is facing L.A. for the second time this year after giving up eight runs and 10 hits in a 14-9 win on July 6. He's 11-6 with a 4.15 ERA in 21 career starts against the Angels.

Brandon Webb (Arizona Diamondbacks) -The Diamondbacks ace is on fire and has the numbers to prove it. Webb enters this game with a 42-inning scoreless streak, having pitched three consecutive shutouts. The right-hander has walked just eight in the five starts during the streak including a win on Friday where he faced just two batters over the minimum. Webb has not faced the Brewers this season and is 1-1 with a 2.68 ERA in his career against them. The under is 6-0-1 in Webb's last seven starts overall.

Jake Peavy (San Diego Padres) - Despite a loss in his last outing, Peavy is still rolling along and moving closer to the major league lead in ERA. The Padres starter will try to slow down a Mets lineup that is averaging over seven runs in their last seven games. The right-hander had a personal four-game winning streak stopped in his last start on Friday but he only allowed one run and struck out 11 batters. Peavy is 3-2 with a 3.35 ERA in eight starts against New York in his career. The Padres are 14-3 in Peavy's last 17 starts following a team loss in their previous game.

Cold

Tom Gorzelanny (Pittsburgh Pirates) - The Pittsburgh ace will be looking to bounce back from one of his worst starts of the season tonight against the Rockies. Gorzelanny was roughed up for five runs and nine hits in a 11-8 loss to the Phillies on Friday. This is not a good sign for Pirates backers with the left-hander making his first start at hitter-friendly Coors field. Gorzelanny struggled in his only appearance against the Rockies, giving up seven runs and four hits with five walks over just 2 2/3 innings in a 13-4 loss on July 18, 2006. The Pirates are 1-4 in Gorzelanny's last five starts following a team loss.

Garrett Olson (Baltimore Orioles) - In the second game of today's doubleheader against the Texas Rangers Garrett Olsen will try to put his last start behind him. The 23-year-old left-hander who is 1-2 on the season had the worst of his four starts Friday in a 5-2 loss at Toronto. He gave up five runs, six hits and four walks in just 2 2-3 innings. Olsen has surrendered 18 walks in just 18 1-3 innings in two starts at Camden Yards and has an ERA of 4.76. This will be Olsen's first meeting with the Rangers.

Jeff Suppan (Milwaukee Brewers) - It has been a long time since Jeff Suppan has won a game for the Brewers and tonight he has to do it against the hottest pitcher in baseball, Brandon Webb. Suppan tries once more to get his first win since June 22 while Milwaukee tries to complete its first sweep at Arizona since 2000. The right-hander is 0-3 with a 4.88 ERA in his last 10 starts and allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings of an 8-3 loss to the Reds on Friday. The over is 4-0-1 in Suppan's last five road starts.

[Udog]

MLB
Long Sheet


Wednesday, August 22


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LA DODGERS (64 - 61) at PHILADELPHIA (66 - 58) - 7:05 PM
DEREK LOWE (R) vs. COLE HAMELS (L)
Top Trends for this game.
LA DODGERS are 59-73 (-20.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LA DODGERS are 20-32 (-15.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 29-37 (-12.5 Units) against the money line after a win this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 2-2 (+0.3 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.0 Units)

DEREK LOWE vs. PHILADELPHIA since 1997
LOWE is 2-1 when starting against PHILADELPHIA with an ERA of 2.32 and a WHIP of 1.226.
His team's record is 2-3 (-1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-3. (-1.4 units)

COLE HAMELS vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
No recent starts.


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ATLANTA (66 - 60) at CINCINNATI (55 - 70) - 7:10 PM
LANCE CORMIER (R) vs. BRONSON ARROYO (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 143-139 (-19.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 47-45 (-7.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ATLANTA is 145-143 (-21.7 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CINCINNATI is 19-12 (+10.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
ATLANTA is 22-13 (+9.0 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters this season.
ATLANTA is 230-154 (+39.6 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 54-77 (-30.8 Units) against the money line in home games when playing on Wednesday since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 55-70 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CINCINNATI is 188-232 (-71.1 Units) against the money line in home games after a win since 1997.
CINCINNATI is 55-70 (-12.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CINCINNATI is 28-33 (-10.4 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ARROYO is 9-17 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
ARROYO is 9-17 (-10.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 4-1 (+4.3 Units) against ATLANTA this season
5 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+5.1 Units)

LANCE CORMIER vs. CINCINNATI since 1997
No recent starts.

BRONSON ARROYO vs. ATLANTA since 1997
ARROYO is 3-1 when starting against ATLANTA with an ERA of 4.31 and a WHIP of 1.588.
His team's record is 5-2 (+5.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-2. (+3.0 units)


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SAN DIEGO (66 - 58) at NY METS (71 - 53) - 7:10 PM
JAKE PEAVY (R) vs. BRIAN LAWRENCE (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 46-45 (-9.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 45-43 (-9.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
NY METS are 172-121 (+21.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 128-84 (+25.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 77-55 (+17.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 30-16 (+12.9 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NY METS are 174-122 (+22.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 37-27 (+11.4 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 77-66 (+14.7 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 75-65 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in road games in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
LAWRENCE is 30-44 (-24.2 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
LAWRENCE is 12-23 (-14.4 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
NY METS is 2-2 (+0.3 Units) against SAN DIEGO this season
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.3 Units)

JAKE PEAVY vs. NY METS since 1997
PEAVY is 3-2 when starting against NY METS with an ERA of 3.35 and a WHIP of 1.255.
His team's record is 4-4 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-4. (-0.3 units)

BRIAN LAWRENCE vs. SAN DIEGO since 1997
No recent starts.


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WASHINGTON (57 - 69) at HOUSTON (56 - 70) - 8:05 PM
MIKE BACSIK (L) vs. WOODY WILLIAMS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
WILLIAMS is 29-22 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WILLIAMS is 99-56 (+34.4 Units) against the money line in home games since 1997. (Team's Record)
WILLIAMS is 29-22 (+10.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
WILLIAMS is 129-87 (+45.0 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997. (Team's Record)
WILLIAMS is 47-18 (+20.1 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1997. (Team's Record)
WASHINGTON is 32-24 (+20.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
WASHINGTON is 13-5 (+9.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season this season.
WASHINGTON is 57-69 (+13.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 43-27 (+31.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
WASHINGTON is 40-39 (+17.2 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 18-15 (+13.1 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
WASHINGTON is 54-66 (+9.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
HOUSTON is 30-39 (-11.2 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
HOUSTON is 22-33 (-14.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
HOUSTON is 56-70 (-16.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 279-277 (-62.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997.
HOUSTON is 56-70 (-16.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 4-1 (+3.6 Units) against HOUSTON this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.4 Units)

MIKE BACSIK vs. HOUSTON since 1997
BACSIK is 0-0 when starting against HOUSTON with an ERA of 1.59 and a WHIP of 1.411.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.1 units)

WOODY WILLIAMS vs. WASHINGTON since 1997
WILLIAMS is 2-3 when starting against WASHINGTON with an ERA of 3.89 and a WHIP of 1.324.
His team's record is 3-3 (+0.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 5-1. (+3.9 units)


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FLORIDA (56 - 70) at ST LOUIS (60 - 62) - 8:10 PM
SCOTT OLSEN (L) vs. BRADEN LOOPER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
FLORIDA is 56-70 (-11.7 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
FLORIDA is 34-43 (-11.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
FLORIDA is 53-70 (-15.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
FLORIDA is 41-55 (-12.2 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
FLORIDA is 12-4 (+12.2 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 this season.
OLSEN is 8-2 (+8.6 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +125 to +150 over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
ST LOUIS is 92-108 (-31.4 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 48-58 (-22.7 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 24-34 (-12.9 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
ST LOUIS is 32-41 (-18.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 3-1 (+2.4 Units) against FLORIDA this season
4 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+4.0 Units)

SCOTT OLSEN vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
OLSEN is 1-1 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 6.17 and a WHIP of 1.200.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

BRADEN LOOPER vs. FLORIDA since 1997
LOOPER is 1-0 when starting against FLORIDA with an ERA of 2.84 and a WHIP of 0.948.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)


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PITTSBURGH (53 - 71) at COLORADO (64 - 61) - 9:05 PM
TOM GORZELANNY (L) vs. JOSH FOGG (R)
Top Trends for this game.
PITTSBURGH is 28-63 (-24.7 Units) against the money line in road games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 20-54 (-25.1 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 11-27 (-14.5 Units) against the money line as a road underdog of +100 to +125 over the last 2 seasons.
COLORADO is 48-40 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
COLORADO is 64-61 (+8.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
COLORADO is 36-24 (+8.5 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
COLORADO is 13-6 (+10.2 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday this season.
COLORADO is 64-58 (+11.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLORADO is 4-1 (+2.5 Units) against PITTSBURGH this season
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.9 Units)

TOM GORZELANNY vs. COLORADO since 1997
GORZELANNY is 0-1 when starting against COLORADO with an ERA of 16.85 and a WHIP of 3.371.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)

JOSH FOGG vs. PITTSBURGH since 1997
FOGG is 1-0 when starting against PITTSBURGH with an ERA of 7.94 and a WHIP of 1.324.
His team's record is 2-0 (+2.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-1. (+0.0 units)


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MILWAUKEE (65 - 61) at ARIZONA (71 - 56) - 9:40 PM
JEFF SUPPAN (R) vs. BRANDON WEBB (R)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 63-60 (-4.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
MILWAUKEE is 40-43 (-7.7 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
MILWAUKEE is 19-41 (-20.1 Units) against the money line in road games after a win over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 140-148 (-18.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 25-36 (-11.4 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
ARIZONA is 71-56 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ARIZONA is 54-37 (+16.9 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
ARIZONA is 49-41 (+8.1 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ARIZONA is 30-26 (+6.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ARIZONA is 71-56 (+15.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ARIZONA is 85-83 (-29.7 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 8 to 8.5 since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 5-1 (+3.7 Units) against ARIZONA this season
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.9 Units)

JEFF SUPPAN vs. ARIZONA since 1997
SUPPAN is 2-2 when starting against ARIZONA with an ERA of 3.86 and a WHIP of 1.442.
His team's record is 2-3 (-3.7 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-3. (-1.5 units)

BRANDON WEBB vs. MILWAUKEE since 1997
WEBB is 1-1 when starting against MILWAUKEE with an ERA of 2.68 and a WHIP of 1.459.
His team's record is 4-2 (+2.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-1. (+3.8 units)


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CHICAGO CUBS (64 - 60) at SAN FRANCISCO (55 - 71) - 10:10 PM
RICH HILL (L) vs. BARRY ZITO (L)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO CUBS are 58-71 (-19.1 Units) against the money line after a win over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 65-74 (-19.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO CUBS are 64-60 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 126-178 (-61.5 Units) against the money line in August games since 1997.
CHICAGO CUBS are 64-60 (-12.0 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHICAGO CUBS are 11-19 (-14.2 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
HILL is 2-8 (-8.4 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 this season. (Team's Record)
SAN FRANCISCO is 601-483 (+85.5 Units) against the money line in night games since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 140-72 (+47.6 Units) against the money line in home games against left-handed starters since 1997.
SAN FRANCISCO is 12-19 (-10.6 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 24-41 (-15.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 55-71 (-17.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 64-74 (-17.5 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 2 seasons.
SAN FRANCISCO is 27-33 (-12.8 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO is 55-71 (-17.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO CUBS is 4-1 (+2.9 Units) against SAN FRANCISCO this season
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.8 Units)

RICH HILL vs. SAN FRANCISCO since 1997
HILL is 2-1 when starting against SAN FRANCISCO with an ERA of 3.33 and a WHIP of 1.111.
His team's record is 3-1 (+2.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-3. (-3.5 units)

BARRY ZITO vs. CHICAGO CUBS since 1997
ZITO is 1-1 when starting against CHICAGO CUBS with an ERA of 3.75 and a WHIP of 1.250.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-2. (-2.1 units)


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OAKLAND (63 - 64) at TORONTO (63 - 62) - 12:35 PM
ESTEBAN LOAIZA (R) vs. A.J. BURNETT (R)
Top Trends for this game.
OAKLAND is 27-35 (-11.9 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
TORONTO is 35-26 (+10.0 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
OAKLAND is 73-68 (+13.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 112-113 (+28.1 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
OAKLAND is 159-137 (+12.1 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 76-71 (+16.2 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 34-13 (+20.4 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 31-18 (+20.0 Units) against the money line in road games in day games over the last 2 seasons.
OAKLAND is 56-47 (+17.7 Units) against the money line in road games against right-handed starters over the last 2 seasons.
LOAIZA is 76-55 (+35.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997. (Team's Record)
LOAIZA is 40-31 (+17.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997. (Team's Record)
BURNETT is 0-6 (-8.6 Units) against the money line in day games this season. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
OAKLAND is 3-2 (+0.9 Units) against TORONTO this season
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+3.0 Units)

ESTEBAN LOAIZA vs. TORONTO since 1997
LOAIZA is 5-4 when starting against TORONTO with an ERA of 3.41 and a WHIP of 1.176.
His team's record is 7-4 (+1.5 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-9. (-7.5 units)

A.J. BURNETT vs. OAKLAND since 1997
BURNETT is 1-0 when starting against OAKLAND with an ERA of 4.05 and a WHIP of 1.799.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)


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SEATTLE (71 - 52) at MINNESOTA (62 - 63) - 1:10 PM
MIGUEL BATISTA (R) vs. CARLOS SILVA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 211-195 (-70.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season since 1997.
SEATTLE is 13-5 (+8.6 Units) against the money line in August games this season.
SEATTLE is 14-7 (+10.7 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Wednesday over the last 2 seasons.
SEATTLE is 47-44 (+5.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
SEATTLE is 43-27 (+18.8 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
SEATTLE is 41-31 (+10.1 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SEATTLE is 71-52 (+24.2 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
SEATTLE is 34-21 (+15.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
SEATTLE is 30-28 (+8.7 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
BATISTA is 15-9 (+7.8 Units) against the money line in all games this season. (Team's Record)
BATISTA is 60-38 (+25.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
BATISTA is 18-9 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in road games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
MINNESOTA is 35-35 (-13.5 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf this season.
MINNESOTA is 62-63 (-10.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 5-3 (+2.4 Units) against SEATTLE this season
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+4.1 Units)

MIGUEL BATISTA vs. MINNESOTA since 1997
BATISTA is 2-0 when starting against MINNESOTA with an ERA of 1.89 and a WHIP of 1.211.
His team's record is 2-1 (+1.2 units) in these starts. The OVER is 2-1. (+1.0 units)

CARLOS SILVA vs. SEATTLE since 1997
SILVA is 4-1 when starting against SEATTLE with an ERA of 2.98 and a WHIP of 1.252.
His team's record is 5-1 (+5.4 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-2. (+1.9 units)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


KANSAS CITY (55 - 70) at CHI WHITE SOX (56 - 69) - 2:05 PM
BRIAN BANNISTER (R) vs. JOSE CONTRERAS (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CHI WHITE SOX are 188-126 (+47.0 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters over the last 3 seasons.
CHI WHITE SOX are 78-47 (+22.0 Units) against the money line when the total is 8 to 8.5 over the last 3 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 41-49 (+6.5 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
KANSAS CITY is 55-70 (+4.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
KANSAS CITY is 12-10 (+12.6 Units) against the money line in road games when playing on Wednesday over the last 2 seasons.
KANSAS CITY is 50-63 (+4.6 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BANNISTER is 7-1 (+7.3 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season. (Team's Record)
CHI WHITE SOX are 49-62 (-10.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 11-17 (-8.8 Units) against the money line in home games after a win this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 56-69 (-9.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
CHI WHITE SOX are 9-16 (-9.1 Units) against the money line at home with a money line of -100 to -125 this season.
CONTRERAS is 21-31 (-16.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
CONTRERAS is 7-13 (-11.6 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
CHI WHITE SOX is 8-2 (+5.1 Units) against KANSAS CITY this season
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+1.8 Units)

BRIAN BANNISTER vs. CHI WHITE SOX since 1997
BANNISTER is 1-0 when starting against CHI WHITE SOX with an ERA of 3.38 and a WHIP of 1.407.
His team's record is 1-1 (+0.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

JOSE CONTRERAS vs. KANSAS CITY since 1997
CONTRERAS is 7-3 when starting against KANSAS CITY with an ERA of 3.42 and a WHIP of 1.205.
His team's record is 9-3 (+3.1 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-6. (-2.6 units)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


CLEVELAND (68 - 56) at DETROIT (68 - 57) - 7:05 PM
PAUL BYRD (R) vs. JUSTIN VERLANDER (R)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 131-125 (-19.7 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 99-103 (-23.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 5-13 (-10.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
CLEVELAND is 146-140 (-18.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 30-39 (-18.6 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 116-80 (+21.7 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 172-129 (+18.4 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 43-24 (+14.7 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
DETROIT is 44-44 (-9.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
DETROIT is 9-16 (-13.1 Units) against the money line in home games against division opponents this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 7-6 (+0.1 Units) against DETROIT this season
8 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.8 Units)

PAUL BYRD vs. DETROIT since 1997
BYRD is 7-2 when starting against DETROIT with an ERA of 3.12 and a WHIP of 1.101.
His team's record is 10-4 (+5.1 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-9. (-5.1 units)

JUSTIN VERLANDER vs. CLEVELAND since 1997
VERLANDER is 3-3 when starting against CLEVELAND with an ERA of 5.40 and a WHIP of 1.392.
His team's record is 3-4 (-1.3 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 3-4. (-1.6 units)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


TEXAS (54 - 70) at BALTIMORE (58 - 65) - 5:05 PM
KASON GABBARD (L) vs. DANIEL CABRERA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 6-20 (-12.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BALTIMORE is 32-20 (+8.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BALTIMORE is 23-29 (-17.6 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 2-2 (+0.1 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)

KASON GABBARD vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
GABBARD is 0-0 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 1.927.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

DANIEL CABRERA vs. TEXAS since 1997
CABRERA is 1-5 when starting against TEXAS with an ERA of 5.73 and a WHIP of 1.858.
His team's record is 1-6 (-5.5 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 4-3. (+0.5 units)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


BOSTON (76 - 50) at TAMPA BAY (47 - 78) - 7:10 PM
DAISUKE MATSUZAKA (R) vs. EDWIN JACKSON (R)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 18-23 (-16.3 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 47-60 (-21.4 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 21-29 (-16.0 Units) against the money line in August games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 18-24 (-15.9 Units) against the money line when playing on Wednesday over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 25-33 (-17.7 Units) against the money line in games played on artificial turf over the last 3 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 39-34 (+12.9 Units) against the money line in home games after a loss over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 62-55 (+18.2 Units) against the money line at home when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 56-30 (+14.3 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TAMPA BAY is 26-39 (-12.3 Units) against the money line in games played in a dome this season.
TAMPA BAY is 31-58 (-22.8 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
TAMPA BAY is 24-37 (-13.8 Units) against the money line in home games in games played on artificial turf this season.
TAMPA BAY is 32-54 (-15.8 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
TAMPA BAY is 47-78 (-22.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 9-2 (+4.7 Units) against TAMPA BAY this season
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+0.3 Units)

DAISUKE MATSUZAKA vs. TAMPA BAY since 1997
MATSUZAKA is 1-2 when starting against TAMPA BAY with an ERA of 3.54 and a WHIP of 1.230.
His team's record is 1-2 (-3.4 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 2-1. (+0.8 units)

EDWIN JACKSON vs. BOSTON since 1997
JACKSON is 0-1 when starting against BOSTON with an ERA of 12.60 and a WHIP of 2.000.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 0-1. (-1.2 units)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


NY YANKEES (70 - 56) at LA ANGELS (74 - 51) - 10:05 PM
ANDY PETTITTE (L) vs. JOHN LACKEY (R)
Top Trends for this game.
NY YANKEES are 62-49 (-13.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
NY YANKEES are 29-29 (-12.2 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
NY YANKEES are 70-56 (-15.1 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
NY YANKEES are 24-27 (-14.1 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
NY YANKEES are 29-32 (-13.6 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
NY YANKEES are 9-16 (-11.7 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 this season.
PETTITTE is 41-43 (-21.9 Units) against the money line on the road when the total is 9 to 9.5 since 1997. (Team's Record)
LA ANGELS are 30-12 (+10.4 Units) against the money line in home games after a win this season.
LA ANGELS are 31-21 (+9.4 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LA ANGELS are 9-1 (+8.6 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
LA ANGELS are 74-51 (+9.6 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA ANGELS are 86-60 (+16.2 Units) against the money line when the total is 9 to 9.5 over the last 2 seasons.
LA ANGELS are 42-17 (+13.7 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
LA ANGELS are 71-45 (+13.1 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
LA ANGELS are 32-11 (+14.4 Units) against the money line in home games in night games this season.
LACKEY is 60-34 (+17.9 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
LACKEY is 58-31 (+19.8 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
NY YANKEES are 20-5 (+13.7 Units) against the money line after allowing 10 runs or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA ANGELS is 6-2 (+5.5 Units) against NY YANKEES this season
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL this season . (Over=+2.1 Units)

ANDY PETTITTE vs. LA ANGELS since 1997
PETTITTE is 7-5 when starting against LA ANGELS with an ERA of 4.73 and a WHIP of 1.478.
His team's record is 10-7 (-2.9 units) in these starts. The OVER is 5-11. (-6.9 units)

JOHN LACKEY vs. NY YANKEES since 1997
LACKEY is 4-6 when starting against NY YANKEES with an ERA of 4.57 and a WHIP of 1.511.
His team's record is 7-7 (+1.8 units) in these starts. The OVER is 4-10. (-7.0 units)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


TEXAS (54 - 70) at BALTIMORE (58 - 65) - 8:05 PM
JOHN RHEINECKER (L) vs. GARRETT OLSON (L)
Top Trends for this game.
TEXAS is 6-20 (-12.2 Units) against the money line in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BALTIMORE is 32-20 (+8.0 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BALTIMORE is 23-29 (-17.6 Units) against the money line as a home favorite of -125 to -150 over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TEXAS is 2-2 (+0.1 Units) against BALTIMORE this season
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.0 Units)

JOHN RHEINECKER vs. BALTIMORE since 1997
RHEINECKER is 0-1 when starting against BALTIMORE with an ERA of 17.17 and a WHIP of 2.452.
His team's record is 0-1 (-1.0 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 1-0. (+1.0 units)

GARRETT OLSON vs. TEXAS since 1997
No recent starts.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Udog]

MLB
Hot lines


Wednesday's best MLB bets


Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers (-147, 9 ½)

It’s funny the difference two quality relievers can make for a ball club. The Tigers won 2-1 last night thanks in large part to the 1-2-3 combo of Joel Zumaya, Fernando Rodney and Todd Jones.

“That was a little more reminiscent of last year, no question about it,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland told the Detroit News.

The familiar part was the Tigers getting a lead and holding onto it in the late innings. Jones, the Tigers closer, struggled during parts of this year without his top two setup men. Rodney missed five weeks due to a forearm problem, while last night was Zumaya's first appearance since coming back from finger surgery.

“This series, to me, is almost like the Yankees playoff series last year – knowing that I’m coming back, playing the team we’re chasing,” Zumaya said of this week's games against the AL Central-leading Indians. “My best stuff is going to have to come out today and the remainder of the season.”

Pick: Tigers –147



New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels (-102, 9)

Where did that come from, Garret Anderson? The Halos left fielder drove in 10 runs in six at-bats last night against the Bronx Bombers. Anderson, who’s been in and out of the lineup with injuries, hit a gland slam, a three-run homer and two doubles during the 18-9 victory.

“Our team isn’t built around power, so we need Garret to get back to doing what he normally does with runners in scoring position,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia told the Los Angeles Times before last night’s outburst. “When he’s going well, he’s an RBI machine, and we need that, because we’re not a team that’s going to hit the ball out of the park with regularity.”

July was the first time Anderson had even hit 10 RBIs in a month. If this is a sign of his reemergence, it should help Vladimir Guerrero – who hits in front of Anderson – see better pitches on a more consistent basis.

Pick: Angels –102



Chicago Cubs at San Francisco Giants (-105, 8)

The Cubbies used a five-run rally in the ninth to steal a victory from the surging Giants. San Francisco had won five straight entering last night – its second longest winning streak of the year.

Chicago knew the pressure was on to win with both the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers winning earlier on in the day. The Cubs, Brewers and Cards are all in the chase for the NL Central.

Starting a series with a positive outcome is good news for Chicago backers. The Cubs are 14-3-2 in series when they win the opener and 2-17-2 when they drop the first game.

Pick: Cubs -103

[Udog]

MLB
Dunkel


Seattle at Minnesota
The Mariners have the lead in the AL Wild Card race thanks largely to their play against the Central Division. The M's are in the middle of their fourth straight series against the Central and have an 8-3 record over that span after last night's 7-2 win over the Twins. Seattle will go for the sweep today behind Miguel Batista, who has won his last two starts and five of his last six. With the offense clicking on all cylinders (6.3 runs per game since August 1; 18 hits last night), the Mariners look like a good pick (-110) according to Dunkel, which has Seattle favored straight up by 2. Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-110). Here are all of today's games.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22

Game 951-952: LA Dodgers at Philadelphia
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Lowe) 14.567; Philadelphia (Durbin) 14.885
Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 953-954: Atlanta at Cincinnati
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Cormier) 14.838; Cincinnati (Arroyo) 14.962
Dunkel Line: Cincinnati by 1/2; 12 1/2
Vegas Line: Cincinnati (-110); 11
Dunkel Pick: Cincinnati (-110); Over

Game 955-956: San Diego at NY Mets
Dunkel Ratings: San Diego (Peavy) 15.722; NY Mets (Lawrence) 15.957
Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: San Diego (-150); 7 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+130); Over

Game 957-958: Washington at Houston
Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Bacsik) 14.802; Houston (Williams) 14.472
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1/2; 10
Vegas Line: Houston (-140); 9
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+120); Over

Game 959-960: Florida at St. Louis
Dunkel Ratings: Florida (Olsen) 14.431; St. Louis (Looper) 16.023
Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: St. Louis (-143); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-143); Under

Game 961-962: Pittsburgh at Colorado
Dunkel Ratings: Pittsburgh (Gorzelanny) 15.537; Colorado (Fogg) 14.945
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Colorado (-120); 10
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (Even); Under

Game 963-964: Milwaukee at Arizona
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee (Suppan) 14.062; Arizona (Webb) 16.936
Dunkel Line: Arizona by 3; 9
Vegas Line: Arizona (-200); 8
Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-200); Over

Game 965-966: Chicago Cubs at San Francisco
Dunkel Ratings: Cubs (Hill) 16.019; San Francisco (Zito) 14.993
Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1; 9
Vegas Line: San Francisco (-110); 8
Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (-110); Over

Game 967-968: Oakland at Toronto
Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Loaiza) 14.669; Toronto (Burnett) 16.283
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1 1/2; 9 1/2
Vegas Line: Toronto (-180); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-180); Over

Game 969-970: Seattle at Minnesota
Dunkel Ratings: Seattle (Batista) 16.486; Minnesota (Silva) 14.349
Dunkel Line: Seattle by 2; 8
Vegas Line: Minnesota (-110); 9
Dunkel Pick: Seattle (-110); Under

Game 971-972: Kansas City at Chicago White Sox
Dunkel Ratings: Kansas City (Bannister) 15.553; White Sox (Contreras) 14.565
Dunkel Line: Kansas City by 1; 8
Vegas Line: Kansas City (-115); 8 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Kansas City (-115); Under

Game 973-974: Cleveland at Detroit
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Byrd) 14.854; Detroit (Verlander) 13.987
Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1; 7
Vegas Line: Detroit (-160); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+140); Under

Game 975-976: Texas at Baltimore
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Gabbard) 15.150; Baltimore (Cabrera) 15.707
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line: Baltimore (-143); 9
Dunkel Pick: Baltimore (-143); Under

Game 977-978: Boston at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Matsuzaka) 16.489; Tampa Bay (Jackson) 13.974
Dunkel Line: Boston by 2 1/2; 8
Vegas Line: Boston (-170); 9 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-170); Under

Game 979-980: NY Yankees at LA Angels
Dunkel Ratings: NY Yankees (Pettitte) 16.432; LA Angels (Lackey) 15.646
Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 1; 11
Vegas Line: LA Angels (-115); 9
Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-105); Over

Game 981-982: Texas at Baltimore
Dunkel Ratings: Texas (Rheinecker) 14.190; Baltimore (Olson) 16.313
Dunkel Line: Baltimore by 2; 8 1/2
Vegas Line: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

[Udog]

MLB
Short Sheet


Wednesday, August 22nd

National League

LA Dodgers at Philadelphia, 7:05 EST
Derek Lowe (R) vs. Cole Hamels (L)
Lowe: Dodgers 10-2 SU Away after a loss by 2 runs or less
Hamels: Philadelphia 9-2 SU after a one-run win

Atlanta at Cincinnati, 7:10 EST
Lance Cormier (R) vs. Bronson Arroyo (R)
Cormier: Atlanta 10-2 Over Away when the total is 10 or higher
Arroyo: Cincinnati 8-14 SU at home off BB Overs

San Diego at NY Mets, 7:10 EST ESPN
Jake Peavy (R) vs. Brian Lawrence (R)
Peavy: 9-1 TSR, 1.06 ERA in home starts
Lawrence: Mets 13-3 Over in August

Washington at Houston, 8:05 EST
Mike Bacsik (L) vs. Woody Williams (R)
Bacsik: 7-1 TSR 2nd half of season
Williams: Houston 5-15 SU off BB losses by 4+ runs

Florida at St. Louis, 8:10 EST
Scott Olsen (L) vs. Braden Looper (R)
Olsen: 8-2 TSR as a road underdog of +125 to +150
Looper: 12-3 Over in night games

Pittsburgh at Colorado, 9:05 EST
Tom Gorzelanny (L) vs. Josh Fogg (R)
Gorzelanny: Pittsburgh 2-13 SU Away after a loss by 4+ runs
Fogg: 22-8 TSR at home with a money line of -100 to -150

Milwaukee at Arizona, 9:40 EST
Jeff Suppan (R) vs. Brandon Webb (R)
Suppan: 1-19 TSR as an underdog of +175 to +250
Webb: 5-0 TSR, 0.00 ERA L5 starts

Chicago Cubs at San Francisco, 10:10 EST WGN
Rich Hill (L) vs. Barry Zito (L)
Hill: 14-4 Under off a Cubs win
Zito: SF 3-12 SU at home after scoring 2 runs or less


American League

Oakland at Toronto, 12:35 EST
Esteban Loaiza (R) vs. AJ Burnett (R)
Loaiza: 21-8 Under as an underdog
Burnett: 0-6 TSR in day games

Seattle at Minnesota, 1:10 EST
Miguel Batista (R) vs. Carlos Silva (R)
Batista: 16-6 TSR as a road underdog
Silva: Minnesota 31-13 Under 2nd half of season

Kansas City at Chicago White Sox, 2:05 EST
Brian Bannister (R) vs. Jose Contreras (R)
Bannister: 13-3 Under in all starts
Contreras: 0-3 TSR, 12.55 ERA L3 starts

Cleveland at Detroit, 7:05 EST
Paul Byrd (R) vs. Justin Verlander (R)
Byrd: Cleveland 5-12 SU Away off BB Unders
Verlander: 7-0 Under at home vs. division opponents

(TC) Texas at Baltimore, 5:05 EST GAME 1
Kason Gabbard (L) vs. Daniel Cabrera (R)
Gabbard: 0-6 TSR as an underdog of +125 to +175
Cabrera: 12-3 Over in home starts

Boston at Tampa Bay, 7:10 EST
Daisuke Matsuzaka (R) vs. Edwin Jackson (R)
Matsuzaka: Boston 9-2 SU vs. Tampa Bay
Jackson: 2-9 TSR, 6.84 ERA in home starts

NY Yankees at LA Angels, 10:05 EST
Andy Pettitte (L) vs. John Lackey (R)
Pettitte: 1-11 TSR off BB Yankees losses
Lackey: 18-7 TSR as an underdog


Write-In Game

(TC) Texas at Baltimore, 8:05 EST GAME 2
John Rheinecker (L) vs. Garrett Olson (L)
Rheinecker: 2-7 TSR when the total is 8.5 to 10
Olson: 2-0 Under in home starts

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

[Udog]

MLB
Matchups and Additional Trends

http://www.bettorstalk.com/index.php3?act=menu&page=16



MLB
Weather

http://www.bettorstalk.com/index.php3?act=menu&page=13



Weather info in more detail
for days to come for teams:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/event...eventid=168730